Strike a pose.

If I told you that one of the keys to success was adopting the right posture would you believe me?

Skeptical?

Just visualize a corporate boardroom filled with potential clients waiting to hear what Company X is pitching. The Company Rep- Miss Y - sits at her place, arms folded on the table in front of her, shoulders slightly rounded.

Now imagine the same room, same cast of characters, only this time another Rep – Miss Z – begins her presentation by standing, feet comfortable distance apart, balanced. Her hands placed on the table in front of her as she leans slightly forward towards the clients-to-be and smiles warmly as she begins to speak.

Who’s in charge here?

In the latter scenerio there’s a feeling of ease and confidence. For that reason, all other things being equal, Miss Z is probably a lot closer to closing the deal than Miss Y.

Trust me, I’m not making this stuff up. The topic of how other perceive us based on our facial expressions and body language is old news.

Also nothing new is the idea that we manifest with the body how we feel – physically, mentally, emotionally. Just think of how you sit, stand and move when you’re coming down with a cold, sleep deprived, or nursing a broken heart. Then, imagine yourself at the top of your game, sun shining, fresh from a visit with a cheerful friend. And, you can rest assured that other people notice it too!

“If you act powerfully, you will begin to think powerfully.”

So states, Amy Cuddy, social psychologist and associate professor at Harvard Business School. Employing various methods, Cuddy explored what methods we use to judge ourselves and others in terms of two critical trait dimensions—warmth/trustworthiness and competence/power. These are the “deal breakers” when it comes to who we hire, trust, admire, befriend or dislike. Cuddy found that not only do we feel more positively toward those people whose body’s reflect these qualities, we can also consciously increase - “embody” – those things when mimic those positions in our own body.

Think about the “Wonder Woman” position – feet firmly grounded, hands on hips, eyes alert, a slight smile. She stands ready, and very able, to take on all the challenges that come her way. Not only is she tough, she’s also nice! I’d hire her, trust her, have coffee with her – what about you?

More importantly, if we took a sample of Wonder Woman’s blood after she stood like that for just a few minutes we would notice something very interesting. Her levels of testosterone – linked with feelings of power, willingness to take risks, be competitive – would have increased. Her levels of cortisol – connected with feeling stressed, uncomfortable – would have gone down. Amazing and very thought provoking research.

Watch the full TED video of Amy Cuddy as she details her research by clicking here.

It’s always been fascinating to me, how the body speaks volumes.

The longer I’ve practiced and taught yoga, in it’s embracing of the physical, I’ve noticed how folks can change with the practice. First and foremost I noticed it in myself. As my muscles got more pliant, my mind was more open to possibilities. Balance work seemed to remind me that there was more to life than work and demands from others. And the strength part, well I learned how to take a stand and stick to it. So cool!

If you want another example of how powerful and fundamental this experience is, researchers noticed that folks experiencing important successes, “wins” as it were, tended to adopt the “touchdown” pose – arms overhead in a “V” for victory. The behavior was so universal that even people who had been blind from birth placed their bodies in this position.

So, the next time you need to give that speech, or face that challenge, or deal with that troublesome person who pushes all of your buttons, take a few minutes to “Do the Cuddy”. Go ahead, “strike a pose”, and see if you don’t feel a whole lot better.